Gangs. Police Tactics, Prisons, Judges & ACLU

Los Angeles, CA. This Sunday and Monday on Cable TV the Full Disclosure Network® feature six Video News Blogs covering the latest hot button issues and top law enforcement officials as follows:

L.A. CABLE CHANNEL 36
Sunday, March 2nd 8:00 p.m Part 1
Sunday, March 2nd 8:30 p.m. Part 2
Monday, March 3rd 4:00 p.m. Part 1
Monday, March 3rd 4:30 p.m. Part 2
Click here for 45 other cable channel numbers & air times

WATCH THE VIDEO BLOGS HERE ONLINE NOW:
Click on the title/link to access the streaming video page.

PART 1
Video News Blog #40 “Massive Prison Release Intended” (8:15 min) Steve Ipsen, President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys claims the agenda of anti-law enforcement politicians are setting the stage for a massive prision release. He describes who, why and how they have been undermining the “Three Strikes Law” for the past ten years.

Video News Blog #42 “Prison System Condemned in Concealed Report” (10:30 min) California’s Corrections Independent Review Panel, headed by former Gov. George Deukmejian, issued a little known 400 page report costing over $1 million. According to Executive Director Joe A. Gunn, they found the system was in “chaos, a disaster and total disarray” but the Governor Schwarzenegger has ignored the findings.

Video News Blog #41 “Police Solo Foot Pursuit Ban Debated” (8:30) Three top cops debate whether or not police should chase gang members or criminals on foot without back-up or partners. Features LASD Chief Bill McSweeney, former Det. Roy Burns and LAPD Capt.Ken Hillman (ret).

PART 2
Video News Blog #43 “Are Jails Intended To Be Punishment?” (8 min) A dynamic echange of views about whether jail time should be considered punishment for convicted criminals. Featuring LASD Sgt. Paul Jernigan, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Police Reformer Merrick Bobb.

Video News Blog #45 “Jails, Judges & The ACLU” (7:02 min) Featuring Sheriff Leroy Baca, Former U. S. Attorney General Edwin Meese, III, LASD Sgt. Paul Jernigan, LASD Captain Tim Cornell and Glendale Police Lt. Don Merideth. Revealing discussion who’s behind the early release program in L. A. County jails and why convicted criminals are being released without spending any or very little time in jail.

Video News Blog #44 “The Ultimate Gang Solution” (13:01 min) Should the Courts require juvenile gang members to wear GPS tracking devices to deter adult gang members from using them for unlawful and violent activities? Features Steve Ipsen, President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys, and Jeremy Thompson a retired LASD Deputy from gang detail.

The Full Disclosure Network® is a reality news show, known as “the news behind the news” since 1992 and is an independent, public affairs cable program produced by Host Leslie Dutton and Producer T. J. Johnston. In 2002 the FDN program was presented with a public affairs Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their series entitled “L.A.’s War Against Terrorism”. Previews of the full programs are featured on the website at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/.

CIVILIAN POLICE MONITOR: MERRICK BOBB ON THE RECORD Internet Video Preview (4 min)

Los Angeles, CA: What qualifications does it take to become the civilian police monitor for the largest county in the nation? In a newly released two-part interview, on the Full Disclosure Network® (FDN), UC Berkeley educated attorney Merrick Bobb, reveals his background on how he got the job as the civilian monitor of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He describes how he develops recommendations on strategic police tactics and jail operations while under contract to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and responds to a critical report prepared by the Sheriffs Deputy’s union.

Viewers are invited to watch a FREE four-minute preview of this two-part interview with Bobb, conducted by host Leslie Dutton and now available online, 24/7, on demand, as a public service. Also featured in the interview and preview is Roy Burns, former President of ALADS, the Association of L.A. Deputy Sheriffs. The full interview is featured on 43 cable TV systems and eventually available online to FDN subscribers.

Highlights of the full interview are:

Part I: Background & Foot Pursuits

Segment #1
Merrick Bobb describes in detail how he became interested in law enforcement policy and tactics following the Rodney King incident when he served as a Deputy Legal Counsel on the Christopher Commission to reform the LAPD.

Segment #2
Bobb describes how he developed the LASD policy to ban solo foot pursuits by Deputies chasing fleeing suspects and expresses the concerns that motivated him alone to initiate this policy recommendation.

Segment #3
He fields criticism leveled at him by the ALADS (Sheriffs Deputy’s Union). He details his recommendations on when, how and why Sheriffs Deputies should call for back up. This segment features Roy Burns, former LASD Detective who was instrumental in organizing a scathing rebuttal to Merrick Bobb’s Report to the Board of Supervisors on the solo foot pursuit ban.

Part II: Methodology & Jail Operations

Segment #1
As the civilian monitor Bobb describes his goals and methods used to develop recommendations while not having a law enforcement background or training. He points out his experience on the COLTS Commission as having been important. And he describes the values and traits found in most law enforcement officers as being important considerations for the motivation behind their actions.

Segment #2 In this segment Bobb explains the purpose of JAIL and the difference between county jails and state prisons and the role of jailers. He comments on the strikingly different jail operations in Maricopa County and condemns conditions that would make inmates uncomfortable, citing rehabilitation as a goal and the Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment.

Segment #3 Finally, Bobb points out that there is one major reason why there are problems in jail operations. He carefully states that he does not fault the County Board of Supervisors for the problem. He addresses the early release of inmates versus the need to build more jails. And, defers to a “smarter and safer” approach to law enforcement over a “softer and gentler” one.

The Full Disclosure® program is billed as “the news behind the news”. Host Leslie Dutton has been conducting interviews with law enforcement officials regarding police politics and public policy since 1992, interviewing all the Chief's of Police from Ed Davis to William Bratton and most of the Police Commission Presidents and Los Angeles County Sheriffs Block and Baca. In 2002 Dutton was presented with a local public affairs Emmy Award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the series "L.A.'s War Against Terrorism".

Ultimate Gang Solution Near? Watch Video

Los Angeles, CA. – Is the ultimate gang solution near? In a FREE thirteen minute FULL DISCLOSURE NETWORK® video news blog Steve Ipsen, President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys and Jerry Thompson, retired Sheriffs Deputy say yes and they describe the process. The courts could require juvenile offenders to wear GPS tracking devices thus deterring adult gang members from recruiting them into unlawful and violent activities, according to Ipsen, the result would be “divide and conquer the gangs”. The FDN video news blog is moderated by Emmy Award winning host Leslie Dutton and available FREE, 24/7, on demand, as a public service.

The biggest break ever in the war against gangs is ready to be employed. So says 20 year veteran prosecutor Steve Ipsen, all that is needed is for law enforcement and judicial officials is to endorse the use of new technology available for a GPS tacking system and a few modifications to the California Penal Code. Thompson confirms the technology is here and already being deployed for similar uses.

Among the novel uses for the device in fighting gang crimes and a proposal on how to pay for it:

• Change Penal Code: Adult gang members found using juveniles would be guilty of a felony
• Send juvenile gang members to a 2 week boot camp to learn about “Three Strikes Law”
• Send juveniles to 1 week boot camp to learn how GPS tracking systems sounds alarm to monitors when curfews are violated, they skip school, fail to show up for work assignments or even wander into rival gang territory
• The cost of the GPS devices and monitoring service could be paid by taxing released criminals and parolees $50 per year for Drivers Licenses
• Parolees could be monitored as well, so if suspected of a particular crime their location could be verified and they could be arrested or removed from suspicion

Following the video viewers are asked to vote on the following survey questions:

• Should the State be authorized to place tracking devices on known gang juveniles?
• Should the parole system use tracking technology?
• Do you fear technology could threaten civil rights?

Viewers are also invited to participate in the video news blog discussion by posting comments below the streaming video. Known as “the news behind the news” Full Disclosure Network® cable television programs are featured on 43 cable systems and the Internet since 1992. In 2002 the Full Disclosure® special series “L. A.’s War Against Terrorism” was recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a local Emmy Award for a public affairs, informational series. Channels and airtimes can be found on the website at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/.

Prison System Condemned in Concealed Report by Independent Review Panel (Video News Blog 8 min)

Los Angeles, CA California’s prison system has been condemned in a 400 page report that to this day has been basically concealed from the public. The report, of the Corrections Independent Review Panel cost the State over a million dollars and took five months of intensive investigations to complete, was presented to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Department of Corrections in June of 2004. Heading the review panel was former California Governor George Deukmejian, appointed by the Governor to investigate the Department of Corrections with the assistance of a cadre of law enforcement experts representing many agencies and associations. Here is the Executive Summary posted on the Department of Corrections website.

The Full Disclosure Network™ presents this ten minute video presentation featuring Joe Gunn, Executive Director of the Corrections Independent Review Panel who told FDN host Leslie Dutton the prison system was in “chaos, a disaster and total disarray”. This is the second in a series of FDN video news blogs covering the ongoing crisis in California’s jail and prison system. DVDs of the series are available for purchase.

Here are a few of the many points covered in the video and report:

• The panel spent months reviewing reports and materials from Office of Inspector General, Little Hoover Commission, State Auditor.
• Interviewed current and former members of Governor’s Staff, State Legislators, current and former members of Department of Corrections staff, California Youth Authority, Office of Inspector General staff, members of the Little Hoover Commission, leadership of the CCPOA (prison guards association), experts in the field and concerned citizens, totally 470 people altogether.
• The panel presented 239 recommendations to reform the state’s correctional system.
• Listed as some of the major problems are: Ethics, “code of silence”, Union/labor contracts and influence over management, union campaign donations, use of force, accountability, and youthful offenders.

Known as “the news behind the news” the Full Disclosure Network™ is seen on 43 cable systems and the Internet website at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/ In 2002 the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presented host Leslie Dutton with an Emmy for the 2001 public affairs series entitled “L.A.'s War Against Terrorism" featuring LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, L.A. County Sheriff Leroy Baca, L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley Thomas and Police Union Director, LAPD Captain Ken Hillman. Channels and airtimes can be found on the website.